Flowers for The Hybrid Collective

What is the Hybrid Collective?

The Hybrid Collective is an annual days long event that started in 2016 as a response to film photographers’ frustration with trade shows. Every year, The Hybrid Collective brings top experts in the photography and wedding industries to lecture, teach classes, and host creative sessions. It brings hundreds of photographers (digital and film) together. This year the Hybrid Collective took place at Camp Lucy in Dripping Springs, Texas. Next year it will be in San Diego.

You’re a florist. Why were you there?

The Hybrid Collective offers attendees the opportunity to add creative sessions into their agenda. For each of these sessions, a planner or designer organizes various wedding scenes for the photographers to shoot in order for the photographers to add quality content to their portfolios. It may seem weird to have 25 photographers taking images of the same faux wedding, but their styles and their audiences are usually so different, it doesn’t show awkward in the online space.
Imagine being the florist (me) who suddenly has 25 photographers taking photos and sharing images of her work instead of the usual one photographer!

I’ve always wanted to be involved in the Hybrid Collective but previously, traveling was not feasible. A few months ago, when I realized Hybrid was going to take place near Austin, TX, I looked up the mood boards for the styled wedding shoots and began to reach out to the planners that I admired and whose shoots aligned with the kind of work I enjoy doing.

A traveling event florist?!

I think many would be surprised at how doable it is to travel as an event florist. I’ve prepared for events in above garage apartments, dining rooms with the chandeliers zipped tied out of the way, precarious mountain cabins, friends’ back houses, and studio spaces rented from local florists (my preference by far). Details that take extra time to source and coordinate when I travel for a wedding include travel, lodging, work space, local help, hard good rentals, and product. It’s more work than designing for local events out of my own studio, but I love working through the logistics, discovering new flower sources, and meeting new flower friends. In fact, the most difficult part of traveling for events is preparing our three kids and our home for my absence. This includes meal planning, meal prepping, coordinating childcare with drop offs and pick ups, and leaving detailed instructions for each day to make things as easy as possible without the primary homemaker (me) to coordinate it all.
I should do a separate post series on this.
But on to the good stuff!

I’ve included these photos of my floral designs from the Hybrid Collective at Camp Lucy so that you can see a little of the resulting work. There will be many more.

Organic Opulence

Designer and producer: Detailed Touch Events
Florist: Emily Emily Kaye Floral Atelier
HMU: Melissa B Beauty
Cake: Lilac Sugar Cakes
Rentals: Design to Flourish
Location and Rentals: Camp Lucy
Models: The Block Agency

The following images are by Laura Rose.

House of Gucci

Producer: Type A Society
Gowns: Oscar De La Renta and Elie Saab (pulled by Lauren Martens)
Suit: Friar Tux
Flowers: Emily Kaye Floral Atelier
Cake: Olive and Aries
HMU: Luna Beauty Bridal
Shoes: Gucci
Invitation: The Letterist
Location and Rentals: Camp Lucy
Plates: Christian la Croix Maison

The following photos are by Katrina Mcardle. We met at the end of the session and spoke french together for a few rusty yet glorious minutes. I know this will not be the first time we work together! And I see a rendez-vous in Paris in our future…

NYFW Bridal October 2023

What is NYFW Bridal?

Twice a year in New York City, in April and October, designers and brands host intimate events, presentations, or large-scale runway shows to reveal their newest collection of bridal gowns and accessories. Being a part of fashion week (bridal or otherwise) in New York City and then in Paris in some flowery capacity has been a dream of mine from the beginning. It’s one of the reasons why I’ve called myself an Atelier, the french word for “studio”.

Vicarious experience of fashion week…

My role model, friend and talented photographer, Sarah Bradshaw participated in the bridal fashion week in NYC which was just last week. She’s already edited and delivered some gorgeous images from her week there and I’m so excited to share my favorites with you!

What are you looking at?

Sarah has graciously permitted me to share her point of view of the bridal fashion week experience. I get giddy just looking at them! Is that just me or do you feel the thrill? The following galleries give you a glimpse of all three types of presentations—
1. The showroom presentation (Elie Saab)
2. The intimate event reveal (Sareh Nouri)
3. The runway presentation (Ines Di Santo)
4. The runway presentation less expected (Nardos)

I’ve also include notes about that particular collection or about the design house in general from each of their websites.

Elie Saab

Elie Saab Bridal FW24 is a poetic expression of optimism and promise. The collection is a glimpse into a bygone era of alluring femininity, celebrating glamorous bridal elegance in simple lines, exceptional detailing and subtle sparkle of diamond dust.

My opinion: Every detail for each dress (and there are a LOT of details) is so meticulously placed to flatter the woman’s body—I love this collection so much.

Sareh Nouri

This season, our collection at Sareh Nouri celebrates the timeless beauty of these dreams and infuses them with a touch of grown-up whimsy. We’ve designed every piece with shapes and details that embrace the little girl inside us all—the one who yearns for enchantment and romance as we embark on this incredible journey towards love and lifelong commitment. Prepare to be captivated by our latest collection, where elegance meets modern charm. Timeless and exquisite, our gowns feature the delicate beauty of French lace, adding a touch of romance to your special day.

My opinion: I am SUPER impressed at the cohesive variety here and love the youthful innocence of these designs. I’m also obsessed with that pink gown at the end of this gallery and love a leggy shoe moment.
These behind the scenes glimpses of this show are more interesting and compelling to me than even the runway images. It’s such a foreign world to the one I live in, it’s fun to see into it a little deeper.

Ines Di Santo

INES DI SANTO is an internationally renowned bridal gown and eveningwear designer. An unapologetic romantic, Ines has built her namesake brand by infusing every wedding gown with the essence of her passion for beauty, love, and desire.

Fueled by the eternal fantasy of the ‘perfect’ wedding gown, Ines Di Santo bridal gowns are a modern interpretation of classic couture techniques, exquisitely handcrafted embroideries, and the finest European fabrics….Using the gestures of fine art as a catalyst, she brought her art, Ines Di Santo bridal, to life in glamorous, feminine glory.

My opinion: I thought it was ok, but I included my favorite gowns from Sarah’s gallery. I absolutely love the draping and volume that’s going on with the designs below. As my own dress 9 years ago had a custom ice blue bodice, I get excited when I see bridal gowns using color. That textured blue princess gown is *chef’s kiss*. I’m also wondering where I can add a ribbed wall in our house like the backdrop from this show—obsessed.

Nardos

NARDOS is a luxury fashion house that has gained an international presence for its commitment to quality, innovation, and craftsmanship. Revered for its artistry in the world of haute couture, NARDOS garments are finely crafted using high-end fabrics and exquisite detailing. The brand's collections range from bespoke haute couture to ready-to-wear items, as well as bridal and accessories. Each season, NARDOS takes inspiration from the natural environment to create timeless feminine designs that exude old-world romanticism blended with modern elegance.

My opinion: Love the setting. I do like some of these gowns (especially that first fringe one) but overall I feel like the heavy textures (which I’m normally super into) were added in less flattering ways, making even these skinny gals look poorly flattered. I didn’t even include some of the more radical examples of this that made the women look positively lumpy.

Perhaps next year I’ll be giving you a view of NYFW Bridal from my own perspective.

Bisous.